Hidden Magic (17 page)

Her necklace. The clasp had broken. He tinkered with it, trying to repair it but he couldn’t. She shoved it into her pocket then took his hand.

The image dissolved. Jilly opened her eyes and looked down at the necklace, which she hadn’t noticed had a broken clasp. She had to find out more. But nothing in the vision would help find Hannah or Ricardo.

After trying to reconnect to the images, she came up empty. She rubbed her temple. Maybe she was too tired. She set the items on her night table then got under the covers. Despite the blanket, the bed was cold without Zander.

She refused to get too used to his company. Before long he’d be gone. Zander was first and foremost a cop, she’d seen that in his reading the day she’d first met him. And she’d broken too many laws to get away from Jamal. Despite his apparent compassion for her situation, she’d never fit into his world. He lived with definite black and white, right and wrong and nothing in between.

The man had a perfect family, the sort of family she’d always dreamed of being a part. Someone like her, with a shady pedigree and a closet full of skeletons would never fit into his world.

But that didn’t change her duty to Hannah. In the morning she’d find a way to convince Zander to take her along. She could beg him, tell him she wouldn’t feel safe without him since she was nearly killed, appeal to his protective nature.

If it
was
Jamal who’d attacked her, she’d have to run away again, as soon as Hannah was found. A twinge of guilt prickled her skin. It would be kinder to Zander if she left than to let him learn who she really was. He’d get over her and maybe someday, she’d get over him too.

Chapter Six

Zander rose before the sun. He hadn’t slept much on that lumpy sofa. But he’d had a much better reason for being awake a good portion of the night. He stepped quietly into Jilly’s room, stroked her hair and thought about waking her to make love again.

He’d have to wait until this damn case was behind them. For now though, the clock was ticking. He had less than a day and a half to find Hannah and he refused to take any more of that time for himself.

Even in the dim light spilling in from the living room, the bruises on her neck were visible. His gut clenched. He never should have let her out of his sight. He just hoped the sheriff would approve the expenditure of keeping an officer on her.

After he washed up and finished dressing, he went to the front window and glimpsed the marked unit parked a few yards away. At least there was someone watching over her.

When his phone buzzed, he checked the display and saw the sheriff’s name. He strode to the kitchen to answer and not wake Jilly. “Hey Van, what’s going on?”

“I’m glad you’re up. A highway patrol unit just found Ricardo’s car.”

Zander allowed himself a flicker of hope. “Where?”

“About a hundred miles from here, up in Gadsden County.”

“They find anything…or
anyone
inside?” He held his breath.

“No bodies, no obvious blood, but it’s on the way to Tallahassee now. I called in another favor at the FDLE lab so we should have preliminary results soon.”

“Thanks.” If the lab discovered anything important in the vehicle hopefully he could buy more time with his grandfather. “Would you text me the number for the trooper who found it?”

“Soon as I hang up.”

Zander took one last look at Jilly then headed out. He waved to the deputy outside her cottage on his way to his car. After he got on the road, he phoned the highway patrolman who’d discovered Ricardo’s abandoned car and learned the vehicle had been sitting only a few yards off the highway. The officer surmised it had been there at least a week, maybe more judging by the condition. It was concealed from view by thick foliage on the side of the road, the officer explained, which was why it hadn’t been spotted sooner.

He drove on auto-pilot as he pondered why Ricardo’s car had ended up a hundred miles away. Although the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office had scoured the scene, according to the deputy, Zander wanted to check it out for himself, which meant spending precious time to get there.

He called Jilly a few minutes after eight when he was almost at the scene.

“Why didn’t you wake me before you left?” Her voice was hoarse with sleep and it made him want to rush back to her, crawl into bed beside her.

Picturing her lovely body, nude under the sheets, his libido stirred to life. He cleared his throat. “You looked so peaceful. And I knew you didn’t get much sleep last night.”

When she didn’t say anything for a moment he wondered if she was still angry at him. “Are you there?”

“Yeah. Any news about the road sign?”

“Better.” He merged into the right lane. “I’m almost at the spot where Ricardo’s car was found.”

She gasped. “And?”

“No sign of Hannah or Ricardo. But this is the first solid lead in a long time.”

“Really?” Her voice was flat and chillier than he’d heard before.

Shit. He’d pissed her off again. “I mean…no, that wasn’t true. Without your help Ricardo Torres wouldn’t even be on our radar. You’ve been a huge help.”

“I had a dream.”

“About the case?” He tightened his grasp on the phone.

“Yes. I saw that sign again, the curvy road sign. I attempted to look around, you know, for any landmarks or anything that would tell me where I was.”

A mile marker and a cordoned off area on the side of the road alerted him he’d reached the spot where they’d found Ricardo’s car. He pulled off the road. “And?”

“I saw two of those weird shaped smoke stacks, like they have at nuclear power plants. But we don’t have one of those around here, do we?”

“Not in our county, but in the neighboring one. Actually, I passed through that area this morning. The Central Panhandle Power Plant. It’s pretty remote. And it happens to be between Freedom Bay and where Ricardo’s car was abandoned.”

“So that might be important. It’s got to be, Zander.” The excitement in her voice was contagious.

His pulse raced. “Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking.” He checked his watch. “Tell you what. Soon as I finish up here I’ll stop at the power plant, see if I can find the sign and we’ll go from there.”

“I’ll meet you there. We can—”

“No you won’t. You stay exactly where you are, under lock and key. I won’t take any more chances with your safety.”

“But I have to see if I’m right. I might get more impressions there. This could be really important.”

“Which is why I plan to call you when I find the sign.”

“That’s not fair.”

His temples started throbbing. “Whoever attacked you might still be watching you.”

“But—”

“I’m not asking. That’s an order.”

“An order? Seriously?”

“Seriously. You’re to stay put until you hear from me.”

She didn’t say anything. He took his cell away from his ear and checked the display. Damn woman had hung up on him. He dialed her number but his call went straight to voicemail. “Listen, Jilly, I’m serious about this. Don’t you dare leave your house.” But he knew she’d do whatever the hell she wanted. He phoned his office and alerted dispatch to contact the marked unit charged with protecting Jilly. “Tell him she might try to sneak out. I want him to stop her.” He thought about the logistics of that. She wasn’t a suspect so the officer had no real authority to hold her. Unless… “If she refuses to comply I want him to arrest her for…obstruction. Got it?”

“Yes sir,” the dispatcher said.

He stepped out of the car to survey the scene. But after twenty minutes of scouring the clearing in the woods, he had to agree with the Gadsden officers that there was nothing noteworthy there. Truth was, his mind was on other things now—namely finding the sign Jilly had seen in her dream. And making sure she didn’t leave the protection of her guard.

As he sped toward the power plant he prayed she would listen to reason and not try to get around the deputy assigned to protect her. Last thing he wanted was to have to resort to arresting her. She’d never forgive him. But he’d never forgive
himself
if anything happened to her.

* * * * *

Jilly glanced out the window at the officer then immediately shut the curtains when she caught his eye. What would he do if she left? Maybe follow her. Which was fine. She felt safer with the protection.

Unless Zander had told him to keep her home. She understood Zander’s concern. Hell, she shared it. Just the thought of Jamal or whoever attacking her again made her shudder.

But Hannah had been trying to tell her something in that dream. What choice did she have but to go to the site and try to pick up on more information. Perhaps an important piece of the puzzle—the one that would lead them to Hannah.

There was only one way to find out if she could leave. After locating the power plant on an internet mapping program, she grabbed her purse and keys then marched out the front door. As she unlocked her car, the cop got out of his.

“Ma’am, Detective Parsons asked that you remain in your home for now.”

Damn. She caught her lower lip between her teeth as she considered her options. “I’ll hurry back. I promise.”

The man strode toward her, his boots crunching on pine needles. “I’m sorry, Miss Livingston, but I can’t allow you to leave.”

“You can follow me if you like, but I have to go.”

“Sorry, ma’am. Parsons said no.”

She thought about arguing but she’d lose. Zander had already gotten to him. “Fine. But you can tell Detective Parsons I’m not happy about this.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He returned to his vehicle as she headed back inside.

How the hell was she going to get away? She sat on a kitchen chair and meditated on an answer. It took a few minutes, but the Goddess came through and planted an idea in her mind. Using her magic to sway someone’s will was against everything she believed but Hannah’s life could be at stake.

She hurried to the sink and filled the kettle then set it to boil. That done, she searched the cabinet where she kept herbal remedies until she found a bottle of Californian poppy extract along with her chamomile tea. The combination was a potent cure for the insomnia she often suffered. It usually put her to sleep in minutes.

After she’d brewed the tea, she mixed in orange blossom honey and enough poppy extract to make the officer drowsy—about twice what she normally used for herself since he appeared close to a hundred pounds heavier. She quickly cast a circle then spoke a spell over the drink. “Help him sleep, help him sleep well. May his eyelids shut with this Wiccan spell. Harm ye none and let my spell be for the gods’ highest and greatest good. So be it.”

She started toward the door with the mug, but hesitated. This was the second time in as many days she’d cast a spell on someone without their knowledge or consent. Her gut twisted.

I have to do whatever it takes to help Hannah.

She shook off the stab of guilt and headed outside to the deputy’s car then waited for him to roll down his window. A blast of cool air hit her from inside the vehicle. “I was making myself some tea so I fixed a cup for you. If you want it.” Part of her wished he’d say no, but this was the only way.

He shrugged. “Why not. Thanks.”

She couldn’t look him in the eyes. As she started to hand him the mug, something stopped her. She fumbled with the cup and manage to spill it on the grass next to the car, hoping it looked like an accident. “I’m sorry. I’m such a klutz.”

The officer gave her an unconvincing chuckle and shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. I wasn’t really thirsty anyway.”

She picked up the mug and hurried back inside. Now what? She’d have to find another way to lose the deputy. Using her magic and basically drugging him was just plain wrong.

Once inside, she glanced out the window at her car parked right near the officer’s. No way was she going to be able to get away without being seen. Unless…

She grabbed her phone and called Taryn. Since her friend worked at the café all day, she shouldn’t need to go anywhere.

Thankfully, Taryn agreed to let her use her car. The only issue was going to be getting out of the cottage without the cop noticing.

Zander is going to kill me.

She’d deal with that later. In the meantime, she had to get to the café then find that road sign. Something important happened at the spot. She felt it in her bones and the only way to get more information—possibly something that could lead her to Hannah—was for her to go there, to feel the energy and touch the ground she was sure Hannah had trod.

For good measure, she took a kitchen knife and threw it into her purse on the off chance that someone was watching her despite the cop parked outside. Then she climbed out her bedroom window which was on the opposite side of the house from the officer.

Minutes later she drove out of the camp in Taryn’s Honda. Checking her mirrors as she merged onto the highway, she noticed a white SUV behind her with windows tinted so dark she couldn’t glimpse the driver. She pushed harder on the gas pedal to put distance between her and the other vehicle.

It took nearly half an hour until she reached her exit and was relieved the white SUV was nowhere in sight. Driving along a desolate county road, she found the twin smoke stacks from her dream. Her heart pounded as she turned onto a dirt road to get closer.

She glimpsed the sign. And Zander’s car next to it. Swallowing hard, she stopped and waited as he finished talking into his phone wearing a frown that put her in mind of one of the meaner teachers from her elementary school days.

His aura was dark, muddy red but she didn’t need to see it to glean his mood. His whole body was stiff and forbidding and his eyes blazed.

Her courage wanted to hide under the seat but she had to do this, regardless how angry she’d made him. She squared her shoulders and climbed out of the car. “Hey.”

He shoved his cell into his pants pocket and took a step toward her. “What’d you do to the deputy outside your house? Did you whip a little juju on him? Damn it, Jilly.”

Ignoring his question, she tipped her chin toward the sign. “I had to come and see it. This is the spot, Zander. Something happened here.” She stepped around him and glanced toward the smoke stacks. “This is definitely it.”